plate no. 0210

A View through Three Arches of the Third Storey of the Colosseum

oil, canvasNeoclassicismcityscapearchescityscapebuildingsskygrassruins

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for stone and sky, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details and natural textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the perspective of the arches and the placement of the cityscape.
step 02
Establish the sky with light blue and white, blending softly to create clouds.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the buildings in the distance, using muted colors to suggest atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Paint the arches, starting with a base color of reddish-brown and adding highlights and shadows to define the stone texture.
step 05
Add details to the arches, such as cracks, moss, and variations in color.
step 06
Paint the foreground vegetation with varying shades of green, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Refine the details of the cityscape, adding windows, roofs, and other architectural elements.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the entire painting, ensuring that the values and colors are balanced.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · sap green

Mix burnt sienna and raw umber for the stone, adding white for highlights and ultramarine blue for shadows. Achieve atmospheric perspective by mixing blue and white with small amounts of the local colors.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·dry brushing
·color layering
·scumbling
·linear perspective

common pitfalls

→Incorrect perspective of the arches and buildings.
→Overly saturated colors in the distance, which would negate the atmospheric perspective.
→Lack of variation in the stone texture, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Ignoring the subtle color shifts in the sky and clouds.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints: burnt sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, raw umber, sap green
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette knife